How Does Vera Blue's New Album Stack Up? We Take You Track By Track

This week Vera Blue delivers Perennial, the debut album under the moniker. We’ve got a track by track rundown for you.

First Week

It’s clear from the first track, First Week, that this is going to be a heartbreak album. It would be easy to think Vera Blue's Celia Pavey up to her usual folk tricks; that’s until the chorus drops and her new electro pop edge takes over.

Give In

Give In offers a different side of Pavey – one that’s pissed right off. She’s strong and won’t be taking any of this dude’s shit. More power to you!

Regular Touch

By the time you hit Regular Touch, you can tell that Pavey and her band are fully comfortable with their pop sound. Drawing on some Avicii type vibes, it’s easy to hear that this will go on to be one of the biggest Vera Blue hits to date.

We Used To

It’s back to big, strong piano ballads with We Used To. It’s scathing yet vulnerable, and Pavey’s voice shines as she pours her heart out. It’s simple and allows you to reconnect with all the things you loved about Pavey’s voice to begin with.

Said Goodbye To

Pavey doesn’t hold back in Said Goodbye To. She shares a brutally honest story of saying goodbye to her ex’s mother, and questions the whole ‘it’s better to love and to lose’ storyline, her voice unwaivering throughout.

Private

It’s back to electro pop with Private. It’s short and sharp at two and half minutes. It’s a view into Pavey’s own fantasy world, playing on the concept of what she wants in her dreams verses what she knows is right in her reality.

Lady Powers

Lady Powers brings along some serious ‘80s vibes, in the best possible way. Written by Pavey at a time when she was feeling disrespected, Lady Powers is there to remind Pavey, and others, that it’s important to say something when you’re feeling disempowered.

Magazine

Magazine offers a look into society’s obsession with celebrity life. Again, Pavey dips back into a fantasy world, this time imagining herself from the perspective of a socialite. It’s a playful approach to a topic that often gets blown over.

Fools

The scathing approach reappears with Fools. Fools probably offers the best blend of Pavey’s older sound and her new style. It’s in the chorus that you realise the difference from the earlier tracks in the album, there’s a growth and maturity to the way Pavey is responding back to her heartbreak.

Overachiever

Overachiever feels different to the rest of the album, if not slightly out of place. Perhaps if it was wedged between two other songs it would feel better suited but after the punchiness of Fools, it feels slightly lacking in the ‘independent woman’ vibe Pavey’s carried throughout the rest of the album.

Pedestal/Cover Me

It’s back to a slower start, with everything else initially skimmed over to focus on Pavey’s voice. In terms of songwriting, Pedestal/Cover Me feels to be the most developed on the record.

Mended

Mended closes out the album, and rightly so. It ties the album together and is a suitable finish, telling of how Pavey has dealt with the heartbreak she was so honest about throughout the album. While she admits it’s not been a clean break, she laments the idea that maybe it’s fine the way it is.

Overall, Perennial offers a lot of growth from Vera Blue. It’s a tougher approach to songwriting and there have been risks taken in terms of the sounds she’s known for.

Perennial is out this Friday, order your pre-sale copy here. Vera Blue took over the cover of The Music this week, check out the story here.